1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an endoscope system and, in particular, to a portable endoscope system that incorporates a small image display device.
2. Description of Related Art
In endoscope systems that are widely used in medical and industrial fields, it is common for a fixed television monitor to be left permanently connected via a cable to an eyepiece portion, and for an image obtained by the endoscope to be formed on a light receiving portion of an image pickup element such as a CCD. This formed image is then converted into a signal and the image in the form of a signal is supplied via a cable to a television monitor in a separate location. The signal is then reconverted into an image and displayed on the screen of this television monitor.
Endoscope systems have also been proposed (for example, refer to Japanese Patent Application, First Publication, No. H10-127575, Japanese Patent Application, First Publication, No. H11-9548, Japanese Patent Application, First Publication, No. 2000-116599, and Japanese Patent Application, First Publication, No. 2000-171729) in which a light source apparatus, an image display unit such as a miniature liquid crystal monitor, and a battery that drives the light source, image pickup elements, and the liquid crystal monitor are incorporated in an endoscope.